Collapsible structure such a



' N. STRAUSSLER COLLAPSIBLE STRUCTURE SUCH AS PONTOONS AND SEAPLANE FLoATs, DIVISIBLE INTO BOATS p 1931' Original Filed June '7, 1926 18204 Reiuued Sept. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IlIIGHOLAS STRAUSSLER, OF LOIiI'II'JON,- ENGLAND conmrsrnLn STRUCTURE scones PONTOONS AND sm PLANE FLOATS, mvrsmu:

- m'ro BOATS Original application filed June 7, 1926, Serial No. 114,148, and in Great Britain April 10, 1928. Dividedand application filed March 24, 1927, Serial No. 177,976,, Patent No. 1,720,701, dated July 16-, 1929. This application for reissue filed June 16, 1930. Serial No. 461,662. g

This invention relates to collapsible structures such as pontoons and seaplane floats, divisible into boats, and the present application is a reissue of a divisional application of my copending application Serial N 0. 114,148, filed June 7, 1926. d

An object of this invention is to provide a hollow structure capable of flotation and adapted to collapse so that it can be packed flat for storage or transport. Another object of the invention is to enable such a structure when used as a seaplane float for example to be collapsed after rising from the water so as' to reduce the air resistance to the flight of the seaplane, and expanded be fore again alighting on the water. f Another object of the invention is to construct the said hollow structure in such manner that it can readily be divided into two boats as for example by cutting through the flexible part at which the fold or joint is located along which fold or joint the structure is adapted to be collapse In order' that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, the same will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings or diagrams wherein Figure 1 represents in endelevation an expanded seaplane float exemplifying this invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same float collapsed.

Figure 3 is a collapsed.

Figure 4 is a perspective sectional view of the same float expanded.

'Figure 5 is a central cross section on a larger scale of the same float collapsed.

Figure 6 is a sectional view ofone of the joints in the float. f

Figure 7 is a side elevation of one of a pair of boats produced by longitudi'nallydividing the float represented in Fig'ures 1' to 6. Figure 8 is a plan of afloat of a modified plan of the same float when shape.

59 together, these two structures being 'g'eneral- The float ma be considered as consisting of two identica structures arranged face to face one over the other and fiexi 1y secured ly indicated by the letters A and B respectively in Figures 1, 3, and 7. The u per structure A comprises an upper mainlyhorizontal panel or roof (1, and folding side panels a a the latter being represented as erect in Figures 1 and 4, and as laid horizontally under the panel a in Figure 5. The lower structure B comprises similar panels b b b. The lower edge of the panel a is straight and is joined to the straight upper edge of the panel b by a longitudinal external strip 'of flexible material C, secured over their plywood, in which .case rivets or other fastenings may be passed through the plywood at intervals to prevent the pliesor laminations of the wood from splitting apart when being bent. Each panel is connected'with the adjacent panels'by a flexible and "waterproof material such as waxed on rubber coated canvas "or'webbing, with or withoiit the addition 'of'hinges at intervals. The outer "edge of each horizontal panel which is'joint ed to an adjacent side panel comprises "a curved ortion'coinciding exactly with a correspon ing curved portion on the proximate edge of the said adjacent panel. Therefore although the anels a and a, for example, can lie practically flat against each other when "folded, yet when pulled 'intosuch a position that'their respective central parts are at right angles to each other, the'downward curve of the extremity of the panel a corresponds'with the adjacent inward curve of the extremity of the panel a. At the-same time the upward curve of the extremity of the lower panel b corresponds'with the adjacent inward curve of the side'panel 6 'The panels in the opposite; halves of the float being similarly shaped and jointed to each other, the front ends of all the six panels of the float in the modification illustrated in Figure 8 can meet in a single point, while the rear ends of all the panels also can meet at a single point. Either or both ends of the panels a 7) may however be cut off on a line at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the structure so as to form a horizontal knife edge as illustrated in Figures 1-4 at the end of the float, in which case the pointed ends of the side panels a I) meet each other but do not meet the pointed ends of the opposite pair of panels a", b".

At each side of the float are secured levers E for pressing in and drawing out the panels a a the movements of the upper part of the float thus caused hein necessarily followed in counterpart by the lower part of r the float. These levers are to be connected with suitable gear on the seaplane by means of which all the said levers can be turned in unison through arcs of approximately degrees.

' Instead of the two halves A and B of the structure being vertically superposed as above described, they may be laid side by side facing each other, and arranged to collapse in a vertical formation instead of in a horizontal formation as illustrated in Figures 2 and 5. In this modified arrangement the levers E wouid be connected to the two folding panels joining the two opposite curved upper edges of the two large panels, and the two lower folding panels would open out in unison with the upper folding panels by reason of the movements of the large panels.

When assembling the parts of the float waterproof glue is injected between the strips of webbing or the like and the wood to which they are attached, and the inner and outer strips may be stitched together as in dicated at F in Figure 6 through the small spaces between the adjoining panels; the strips may also be secured by tacks, rivets, or other suitable fastenings at intervals.

Where the panels are made of plywood, they may be strengthened by inner or outer coatings of thin galvanized steel or other metal.

A large valve is preferably provided in the roof of the float to permit the rapid inward and outward passage of air during changes in the configuration of the float, this valve being of such a character as to prevent the entry of water into the float when the seaplane is resting or travelling on water.

When it is desired to divide the float into two folding boats, this can be done by cutting through the flexible strips C, (Figures 1 and 4;) so that the float is transversely di vided and the panel a forms the bottom of one boat, the panel forming the bottom of the other boat. If it be desired to divide this float into two boats having longitudinally folding bottoms, it will then be necessary to cut through the comparatively rigid ma terial along the major centre lines of the floor and roof, producing two boats laid on their sides facing each other horizontally, in which when turned through 90 degrees the boat bottom is constituted by the panels which were previously the folding wall panprinciples of this invention, the scope of which is defined in the following claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentof the United States is l. A. closed hollow structure adapted for flotation comprising two opposing main panels, each edge of each of said panels having a straight portion and a curved portion, and four longitudinally jointed half panels adapted to fold within said main panels, the said half panels each having one edge lying in a substantially horizontal planeflexibly connected with the adjacent half panel and its other edge comprising a straight portion and a curved portion and flexibly connected with the adjacent main panel. 7

2. A- closed hollow structure adapted for flotation comprising mainly horizontal roof and floor panels with side panels adapted to fold inwardly between said roof and floor panels, each of said panelsbeing continuous and substantially integral. throughout its length, said structure consisting of material which is approximately rigid but has sufficient flexibility to be bent into curves when so required.

3. A closed hollow structure adapted for flotation comprising in combination a roof of semi-rigid material having a flat topped central portion and integral downwardly curved ends, said roof having at each end curved outer edges, two upper side panels flexibly jointed to said roof and having correspondingly curved edges adjacent said roof, a floor of semi-rigid material having curved outer edges, two lower side panels flexibly jointed to said floor and having correspondingly curved edges adjacent said floor, and flexible means for securing together the upper and lower pairs of said panels.

4. A closed hollow structure adapted for flotation comprising in combination a roof panel, a floor panel, two side walls eachbuilt up of two panels joined by a strip of flexible material, each of said six panels having a said panels being continuous respectively to which they strip of flexible material.

5. A collapsible closed hollow structure o'miprising in combination a mainly horizon tal roof curved downward at each end. a mainly horizontal floor curved upward at each end, and longitudinally divided side walls curved inward at each end to meet the edges of the said roof and floor, each member of said side walls being flexibly jointed to the adjacent member thereof and also fiexibly jointed to the roof or floor, whereby said members can be folded within the periphery of the said roof and floor, said roof and floor then becoming flat from end to end.

6. A collapsible hollow structure adapted to serve as a seaplane float having tapered ends and comprising mainly horizontal roof and floor panels with side panels flexibly connected. to said roof and floor panels, each of said side panels consisting of upper and low er-halves flexibly connected to each other, said structure being divisible into two separate boats by cutting through. the flexible connections of the two halves of the side panels.

7. In a collapsible structure adapted for flotation, in combination with a main panel having at least one end tapered in width, a lateral panel jointed to each edge of said main panel and having its edge contiguous to said main Y tour as the lateral edge of said main panel, from end to that is apare jointed by end and comprising material proximately rigid but sufficiently flexible to,

be bent into curves, and flexible means enclo ing the edges of said panels both interiorly and exterior-1y thereof ing each of said lateral panels to said .main panel whereby said lateral panels may be folded into parallel relation with said main panel or moved into a position substantially at right angles thereto.

8. In a collapsible structure adapted for flotation, in combination with a main panel having at least one end provided with curved lateral edges, a lateral panel jointed to each edge of said main panel and having its edge contiguous to said main panel of substantially the same contour as the lateral edge of said main panel, and means completely enclosing the edges of said panels and forming a flexible hinge connecting each of said lateral panels to said main panel whereby said lateral panels may be folded parallelly to said main panel or moved into a position substantially at right angles thereto.

9. In a collapsible structure adapted for flotation, in combination with a main panel having at least one end provided with curved lateral edges, a lateral panel jointed to each edge of said main panel, said panels being approximately rigid but sufliciently flexible to be bent into curves in the direction of their extending throughout the length, and means panel of substantially the same conand flexibly connectlength of the contiguous edges of said main and lateral panels and flexibly connecting said lateral panels to said main panel at both the inner and outer sides of each of said panels whereby said lateral panels may be psible structure adapted for and extending throughout the contiguous edges of said main Kl said lateral panels, said lateral pane being foldable into parallel relation with said main. panel stantially at right angles thereto.

11. In a collapsible structure adapted for flotation, in combination with a transversely rigid main panel having at least one end tapered in width, a pair of lateral panels 9 adapted to lie in parallel relation therewith and having edges conforming in contour with the edges of said main panel, said panels being longitudinally rigid main panel comprising longitudinally E05 continuous material which is sutficiently flexi ble to be bent into curves in the direction of the length thereof, ,a lateral panel jointed to each edge ofsaid main panel, and flexible means extending throughout the length of the 110 contiguous edges of said main and lateral panels for enclosing said edges and securing said panels together, said flexible means forming a hinge whereby said lateral panels may be moved into a position angles to said main anel.

13. In a colla sible structure adapted to": flotation, in com ination with a main panel having at least one end tapered in width,

lateral panel jointed to each edge of said 1% main panel and having its edge contiguous to said main panel of substantially the same con tour as the lateral edge of said main panel, and means flexibly connecting each of said lateral panels to said to said panels at both the inner and outer faces thereof, said lateral panels being foldable into parallel relation with said main panel or into a position substantially at right angles thereto oination with a longitudinalboth interioriy and exor into a position subcontinuous and comprising material which has sufiicient flexi- -b1l1ty to be bent into curves lengthwise there? and outer faces of said panels i lateral panels may be moved substantially at right main panel and attached and said lateral and main -panels reacting in said last named position to bend each said main and lateral panels into concave form.

14. In a collapsible structure ada ted for flotation, a plurality of panels and means flexibly connecting the same and extendin throughout the length of said panels, said last named means providing a flexible waterproof joint between said anels and comprism ing flexible strips attac ed to said panels interidrly and exteriorly thereof, and means connecting said strips between said panels to form a hinge.

15. In a collapsible structure ada ted for flotation, a plurality of panels an means flexibly connecting the same and extendin throughout the length of said panels, said last named means forming a water roof casing for the edges of said panels an comprising flexible strips attached to said panels interiorly and exteriorly thereof, and means connecting said strips between said panels to form a hinge.

16. In a collapsible structure ada ted for flotation, a plurality of panels an means flexibly connecting the same and extendin throughout the length of said panels, sai last named means comprising waterproof fabric strips extending lengthwise of said panels, interiorly and exteriorly thereof, a waterproof adhesive between said strips and said panels, and stitching connecting said strips together between said joints to form a huge.

17. In a collapsible structure adapted for flotation, a plurality of panels foldable into parallel relationship and having edges which form a convex curve in said position, and means flexibly connecting the same and extending throughout the length of said anels, said last named means providing a exible waterproof joint between said panel and comprising fabric strips attached to said panels interiorly and exteriorly thereof, said exte 5- rior strip lying smoothly on said convexcurve when said panels are in parallel relationship, and means connecting said strips between said panels to form a hinge.

18. In a collapsible structure adapted for flotation, the combination of a plurality of panels which are structurally continuous and made of material which is relatively rigid but bendable in the direction of its length with means flexibly connecting the contiguous edges of said panels throughout their I lengths into a permanently united structure,

said flexible connections embracing the edges 7 of said panels and providing hinges whereby said panels may be moved with respect to each other to form a floatable structure.

In testimony whereof I'have signed this specification.

NICHOLAS STRAUSSLER. 

